Occupation and bladder cancer in Utah.

The relationships between bladder cancer and occupation, industries, and occupational exposures in Utah were examined in a population-based, case-control study conducted between 1977 and 1983. Life-long occupational histories were obtained for 417 cases (332 men and 85 women) and 877 controls (685 men and 192 women). Although few positive findings emerged in this study, increased risks were detected among men for employment in the leather and textile industries which increased with duration of employment. The effects were most marked for employment beginning 45 or more years prior to interview (odds ratio [OR] for textiles = 1.92, confidence interval [CI] = 0.89-4.46; for leather OR = 2.95, CI = 0.63-13.76). Among men and women, increased risk was detected among clerical workers employed for less than 10 years (OR = 1.59, CI = 1.16-2.17) although the risk decreased with increased duration of employment (OR = 0.88, CI = 0.55-1.40 for greater than or equal to 10 years). A protective effect was seen among men and women for 10 or more years employment in professional, managerial, and technical occupations (OR = 0.68, CI = 0.50-0.92). Employment as a carpenter resulted in increased risk which increased with duration. Increased risk for bladder cancer was detected among carpenters who smoked but not among carpenters who never smoked. We used an occupation-exposure linkage system to identify workers exposed to aromatic amino compounds; such workers did not have increased risk of bladder cancer, although interaction between long-term exposure to aromatic amino compounds and smoking was detected. Interactions between smoking and other industrial or occupational exposures were not demonstrated, and for the most part, smoking did not confound the estimates of the bladder cancer-occupation relationships.